Kirk, John, Sir, 1832-1922

Biographical notes:

Sir John Kirk (1832-1922) was born on December 19, 1832, in Scotland. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, and served on the civil medical staff during the Crimean War. He was appointed in February 1858 as physician and naturalist for explorer David Livingstone's second expedition. He traveled to Africa with Livingstone over the next five years. He was one of the first four Europeans to see Lake Nyasa. He was appointed in 1866 as assistant surgeon to the political agency in Zanzibar, and made vice-consul of Zanzibar in 1866, assistant political agent in 1868, and was ranked consul general in 1873. Kirk was knighted in 1881. He retired in 1887 and died on January 15, 1922.